Oil-well-controlling valve attachment



March 25, 1924. 1,488,2M

' A. L. LOEFFLER OIL WELL CONTROLLING VALVE ATTACHMENT Filed Jan. 24.1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 25 1924.

A. L. LOEFFLER OIL WELL CONTROLLING VALVE} ATTACHMENT Filed Jan. 24 19232 Sheets-Sheet 2 .sa. 77; .q a .17 5/ Z; @i I g; x

Inyemo'r: 2 2/ T T mama Mar. 25 1924.

'mrso ANDREW L. LOEFFLER, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

OIII-W'ELL-CONTROLLING VALVE ATTAC.

Application filed January 24, 1923. Serial No. 614,574.

the well-casing.

One object of this invention is to facilitate the assembla e of thecomponent parts of my improv oil-well-controlling valve-attachment andto render said valve-attachment, simple and durable in construction andconvenient.

- Another object is to prevent accidental displacement of saidvalve-attachment and more especially to provide highly practical andrehable means whereby the valve-casing of said attachment is efficientlyheld, inde endent of the well-casing, against upwar dis lacement.

With t ese objects in view, and to attain any other object hereinafterappearing, this invention consists in certain features of construction,and combinations and relative arrangements of parts, hereinafterdescribed in this specification, pointed out in the claims, andillustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan showing my improvedoil-well-controlling means and the pit into which the hereinbeforementioned well-casing extends. Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken alongthe line 22 in Fig. 1 and shows the valve of the hereinbefore mentionedvalve-casing. Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing a portion of Fig. 2,except that Fig. 3 illustrates said valve in its open position whereasFig. 2 shows said valve in its closed position. Fig. 4 is a horizontalsection taken along the line 44 in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a top lan of acap-plate hereinafter described. Fig. 6v is a'vertical section takenalong the line 6-6 in Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken alongthe line 77 in Fig. 6,

.looking inwardly. Fig. 8 is a horizontal section taken along the line8'-8 in 7.

Fig. 9 is a vertical section taken along the line 9-9 in Fig. 7. Fig. 10is a vertical section taken along the line 1010 in Fig. 5. Figs. 7, 8, 9and 10 are drawn on a larger scale than Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, andportions are broken away in the drawings to reduce their size and tomore clearly show the construction.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 6 of said drawings, 12 indicates a pitformed in the earth at the ground-level and having a bottom 13 andupright walls 14 of concrete. The pit 12 is shown largely closed, at itsupper end, preferably by substantially parallel planks 15 which extendacross the pit and are removably mounted on the upper ends of walls 14of the pit.

16 (see Figs. 2 and 4) indicates a substantially vertical tubularsection of the wellcasing, and said section is arranged centrallyof andextends upwardly into the pit 12 and is spaced at its upper extremityfar enough downwardly from the upper extremity of the pit to permit thelocation,

within the upper end of. the pit, of a T 17 which connects said section16 with a substantially vertical short pipe 18 arrar above and in linevertically with the section 16 and extending above the pit. The T 17 isalso employed in placing a laterally 'extending pipe 19 in communicationwith the casing-section 16, and said pipe. 19 is em-. ployed inconducting oil laterally of the upper end of the well-casing, whendesired, to any desired place and provided with a valve 20 forcontrolling communication through said pipe.

At the upper end of the pipe 18 and above the pit 12 is a valve-casingwhich comprises a substantially horizontal bottom section 21 and alsocomprises a substantially horizontal top section 22 arranged over andresting on and covering the bottom section 21, and one of said sections,preferably the bottom section 21, (see Figs. 2, 6, 8 and 9) is providedat the top with a recess 23 arrangedto form a substantially horizontalguideway engaged by a substantially horizontal flat gate or valve 25 andhas the dimensions required to accommodate the location of a .rotatablescrew having a threaded portion 26 employed in actuating said valve. Itwill be observed, therefore, that said guideway is formed interiorly ofsaid valve-casing at the opposing faces of the sections 21 and 22.

he bottom section 21 of said valve-casing (see Figs. 2 and 7) isprovided centrally of its bottom with an externally polygonal or angulardownwardly projecting member 27, and said section 21 has a hole 28formed centrally of said member 27 and extending vertically to therecess. 23 in said section from the bottom of said section and formingthe fluid-inlet of the valveca's' The upper end portion of the hole 28is diametrically smaller than the remainder of the hole so as to form adownwardly facing shoulder 29 at the lower end of said upper end portionof the hole. The valve-casing-section 21 is threaded, at said hole andbelow said shoulder, onto the upper end portion of the pipe 18 and istherefore'removably attached to said ipe, and said ipe abuts, at itsupper en against said s oulder, as shown in Fi s. 2, 3 and 9.

The top section 22 of sai valve-casing (see'Figs. 1 and 2) is providedcentrally of its top with an upwardly projecting member 30 externallypolygonal or angular in plan, as shown in Fig. 1, and said section has ahole 31 formed centrally of said member 30 and extending verticallythrough said section and forming the fluid-outlet of the valve-casingand arranged in line vertically with the hole 28 in the bottomvalve-casingsection 21. The sections 21 and 22 are removably securedtogether by screws 32, as shown in Figs. 7 and 9. The lower end portionof the hole 31 is diametrically smaller than the remainder of the holeso as to form an upwardly facing shoulder 33 at the upper end of saidlower end portion of the hole, and a vertical pipe 35 is threaded atsaid hole into the section 22 and em loyed in conducting oil to areservoir (not siiown) or other desired place. The pipe 35 abuts at itslower end against the shoulder 33, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 9.

' Said valve-casing (see Figs. 2, 7 and 8) also comprises two plates 36overlapping opposite end faces respectively of each of the sections 21and 22 and removably secured to said sections b screws 37 and formingopposite end walls respectively of the hereinbefore mentioned guideway,and the threaded portion 26 of the hereinbefore mentionedvalve-actuating screw extends from the inner side of one of said Wallsto the inner side of the other of said walls. At each end of saidguideway said valve-actuating screw has a plain end portion 38 which isdiametrically smaller than the threaded portion 26 of said screw and hasbearing in the adjacent end wall of said guideway. The

threaded portion 26 of the valve-actuating screw, being diametricallylarger than the at its outer end with a hand-wheel 39 for rotating thescrew.

The valve 25' is movable endwise of the aforesaid guideway and has aport 41 extending vertically through the valve, and the relativearrangement of the parts is such that said port is out of communicationwith the fluid-inlet 28 and fluid-outlet 31 inthe valve-casing, as shownin Figs. 2, Sand 9, and consequently out of communication with the pipes18 and 35-, or that said port is in line vertically and communicateswith said fluid-outlet and fluid-inlet and participates in establishingcommunication be tween said pipes as shown in Fig. 3, according as thevalve hasbeen actuated into the one or the other of its extremepositions. The side wall 42 of the aforesaid guideway (see Figs. 8 and9) overlaps the adjacent side edge of the valve, and the threadedportion 26 of said screw is arranged at and longitudinally of theopposite side edge of said valve and is parallel with the ath of thevalve. The valve 25 is provide at its lastmentioned side edge, withsegmental screwthreads 43 meshing with or operatively en gaging thethreaded portion 26 of the valveactuating screw, so that said valve isslid endwise of the guideway from its closed position shown in Figs. 2,8 and 9 into its open position shown in Fig. 3, or vice versa, ac-

cording as said screw is rotated in the one or the other direction.

A cap-plate 45 (see Figs. 2 and 7 is arranged overand mounted on theaforesaid valve-casingand extends around and conforms to the member 30of the top section 22 of said valve-casing and therefore has a centralpolygonal or angular hole 46 which is occupied by said member 30, sothat said member 30 prevents displacement of the cap plate 45circumferentially of said member 30 and horizontally in any direction. 7

The cap-plate 45 forms a member of means whereby the aforesaidvalve-casing is reliably held, independent of the well-casing,against'upward displacement, and said means (see Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 6)also comprise two substantially horizontal and corresponding metalplates 47 lying on the bottom of the pit 12 at opposite sidesrespectively of the well-casing and tied together by metal bars 48secured by bolts or screws 49 to said plates.

The cap-plate 45 (see Figs-1, 5, 6 and 10)- is provided, adjacent eachside of two op posite sides of said valve-casing, with two seat-formingportions 50 which are spaced longitudinally of the top edge of said sideof the valve-casing. Said portions 50 proof eac of said surfaces, with ashoulder 52 ject laterally andoutwardly in the direction in which saidside of the valve-casing faces and have their top surfaces 51 slopingupwardly in said direction, and the cap-plate is rovided, at and abovethe lower end facing in said direction. On said portions (see Figs. 1and 6) lies a bar 53 which abuts against the adjacent shoulders 52.

Each seat-forming portion 50 of the-capplate 45 (see Figspl, 5, 6 and10) has a slot 55 formed centrally between the side edges of saidportion 50 and extending endwise of said portion and open at its outerend .at the upper extremity of the sloping surface 51 of said portion50' to permit movement, out of said slot, of an upright rod 56 extendingupwardly through and above said slot and loosely through and above theadjacent bar 53 the top of which is overlapped by a nut 57 threadedabove said bar onto said rod so that said bar is held, independently ofthe well-casing and connected valve-casing, against upward displacement.By this construction it will be observed that the cap-plate 45 isremovably but adequately secured in place in relation to the adjacentvalve-casing, and said capplate, and consequently said valve-casing, arereliably held, independent of the wellcasing, against upwarddisplacement.

Each bar 53 extends over and across the slots 55 in the adjacent.portions 50 of the cap-plate 45 and rests on said portions 50 at bothsides of said slots, and obviously the slope of the top surfaces 51 ofsaid portions 50 upwardly in the direction of the outer and open ends ofsaid slots prevents accidental displacement of said bar on said surfacesin said direction, and preferably the rod 56 extending through one ofsaid slots is pivotally connected, at its lower end, to one of theplates 47, and the rod 56 extending through the other of said slots ispivot-ally connected to the other of said plates. The pivotal connectionbetween each rod 56 and the adjacent plate 47 is shown as comprising asubstantially horizontal pivotal pin 58 extending through or into ears59 formed on said plate, and said rod is arranged as required to ermitit to be swung out of and into the s 0t 55 engaged thereby. Obviously awithdrawal of the nuts 57 and bars 53 renders the rods 56 free to beswung out of the slots 55.

On the plates 47 (see Figs. 2, 4 and 6) are preferably piled heavyweights 60 which serve toretain said plates in place on the bot-tom ofthe pit 12.

What I claim is 1. In an oil-well-controlling valve-attachment, thecombination, with a well-casing, a valve-casing arranged above andconnected to the well-casing and having a fluid-outlet and a fluid-inletwhich is in communication with the well-casing, and a valve arrangedto'control communication between said fluid-inlet and said fluid-outlet,the aforesaid valve-casing being provided at the top thereof with anupwardly projecting member which is angular 1n plan, and the aforesaidfluid-outlet being formed centrally of said projecting member, of acap-plate embracing and conforming to said projecting member and mountedon the valve-casing, and means, independent of the well-casing, forpreventing upward displacement. of said cap-plate.

2. In an oil-well-controlling valve-attachment, the combination, with awell-casing, a valve-casing arranged above and connected to thewell-casing and having a fluid-outlet and a fiuid-inlet which is incommunication with the well-casing, a valve arranged to controlcommunication between said inlet and said outlet, and a cap-platemounted on the valve-casing and having seat-forming portions whichproject laterally of and outwardly in relation to the valve-casing andhave slots extending to outer edges of and vertically through saidportions, of rigid members mounted on said seat-form ing portions andcrossing said slots, upright rods extending upwardly through said slotsand loosely through and above said slotcrossing members, and nutsthreaded onto said rods above said slotcrossing members, said rods beingpivoted at their lower ends and supported independently of thewell-casing and connected valve-casing and arranged to be swung out ofsaid slots upon the withdrawal of the nuts and slot-crossing members.

3. In an oil-well-controlling valvei-attachment, the combination, with awell-casing, a valve-casing arranged above and connected to thewell-casing and having a fluid-outlet and a fluid-inlet which is incommunication with the well-casing, a valve arranged to controlcommunication between said inlet and said outlet, and a cap-platemounted on the valve-casing and having seat-forming portions whichproject laterally of and outwardly in relation to the valve-casing andhave slots extending to outer edges of and vertically through saidportions, of rigid members mounted on said seat-forming portions andcrossing said slots, upright rods extending upwardly through said slotsand through and above said slot-crossing members, and means on said rodsfor preventing displacement of said slot-crossing members upwardly fromthe cap-plate, said rods being pivoted at their lower ends and supportedindependently of the well-casing and connected valve-casing and arrangedto be swung out of the slots upon the withdrawal of the slotcrossingmembers.

4. In an oil-well-controlling valve-attachment, the combination, with awell-casing, a valve-casing arranged above and connected to thewell-casing and having a fluid-outlet and a fluid-inlet which is incommunication with the well-casing, and a valve arranged to controlcommunication between said inlet and said outlet, of a cap-plate mountedon the valve-casing and provided adjacent each side of two oppositesides of the valvecasing with two seat-forming portions which are spacedlongitudinally of the top edge of said side of the valve-casing, a barmounted on said portions of the cap-plate, and means independent of thewell-casing for preventing upward displacement of said cap-plate, saidcap-plate being held against circumferential displacement.

5. In an oil-well-controlling valve-attachment, the combination, with awell-case ing, a valve-casing arranged above and connected to thewell-casing and having a fluidoutlet and a fluid-inlet which is incommunication with the well-casing, and a valve arranged to controlcommunication between said inlet and said outlet, of a cap-plate mountedon the valve-casing and provided, adjacent each side of two oppositesides of the valve-casing, with two seat-forming portions which arespaced longitudinally of the top edge of said side of the valve-casingand project laterally and outwardly, said capplate being provided, atand above the inner ends of the top surfaces of said seat-formingportions, with shoulders facing in the direction in which said side ofthe valve-casing faces, and a bar mounted on said portions of thecap-plate and abutting against said shoulders and held, independently ofthe well-casing, against upward displacement.

6. In an oil-well-controlling valve-attachment, the combination, with aWell-casing, a valve-casing arranged above and connected to thewell-casing and having a fluid-outlet and a fluid-inlet which is incommunication with the well-casing, and a valve arranged to controlcommunication between said inlet and said outlet, of a cap-plate mountedon the valve-casing and provided, adjacent each side of two oppositesides of the valvecasing, with two seatforming portions which are spacedlongitudinally of the top edge of said side of the valve-casing and havetheir top surfaces sloping upwardly in the direction in which said sideof the valve-casing faces, and a bar mounted on said surfaces and held,independently of the well-casing, against upward displacement.

In an oil-well-controlling valve-attachment, the combination, with awell-casing, a valve-casing arranged above and connected to thewell-casing and having a fluidoutlet and a fluid-inlet which is incommunication with the well-casing, and a valve arranged to control-communication between said inlet and said outlet, of a cap-platemounted on the valve-casing and provided, adjacent each side of twoopposite sides of the valve-casing, with two seat-forming portions whichare spaced longitudinally of the top edge of said side of thevalve-casing and project laterally and outwardly and well-casing andhaving a fluid outlet and a fluid-inlet which is in communication withthe well-casing, a valve controlling communication between said inletand said outlet,

and a cap-plate mounted on the valve-casing and provided, adjacent eachside of two opposite sides of the valve-casing, with seatformingportions which are spaced longitudinally of the top edge of said side ofthe valve-casing and project laterally and outwardly in the direction inwhich said side of the valve-casing faces and have slots extendingvertically through and endwise of said portions and open at their outerends, of a bar mounted on said'slotted portions of the cap-plate andextending over the slots rods extending upwardly through said slots andthrough said bar, members connected to said rods and arranged to preventupward displacement of said bar, and weighted plates at the lower endsof the rods, said rods being pivotally connected to said plates andarranged to be swung out of the slots upon the withdrawal of said bar.

9. In an oil-well-controlling valve-attachment, the combination, with avalve-casing which comprises two superposed sections secured togetherand has an interior guideway at the opposing faces of said sections, theupper of said sections having the fluidoutlet of the valve-casing andthe lower of said sections having a fluid-inlet for receiving oilorfluid from a well-casing, of a flat ported valve which is incommunication or out of communication with said inlet and outletaccording as the valve is in the one or the other of its extremepositions, and a rotatable screw employed in actuating the valve andheldagainst endwise movement and having a threaded portion extending endwiseof said guideway,-said screw bein arranged at one side edge of the valvean having two plain portions at opposite ends respectively of anddiametrically smaller than its threaded portion, said lain or- -.tionshaving bearing in the va ve-casin and the valve having segmental threa'soperatively engaging the threaded portion of said screw and having itsopposite side edge overlapped by the adjacent side wall of the aforesaidslideway.

10. In an oil-well-controlling valve-attachment, the combination, with avalvecasing which has a substantially horizontal interior guidewayhaving end walls and also has a-fluid-outlet and a fluid-inlet formed atand centrally of the top and bottom respectively of said guideway, of aflat ported valve engaging said guideway and having a port which is incommunication or out of communication with said inlet'and said outletaccording as the valve is in the one or the other of its extremepositions, and a 1'0- tatable screw which is employed in actuating thevalve and has a threaded portion arranged at and longitudinally of oneside edge of the valve and has two plain portions at opposite endsrespectively of and diametrically smaller than said threaded portion,said valve having its opposite side edge overlapped by the adjacent sidewall of the aforesaid guideway and having segmental threads meshing withsaid threaded portion of said screw, the aforesaid plain portions ofsaid screw having bearing in the aforesaid end walls of the guideway,and the threaded portion of said screw extending from the one to theother of said end walls.

11. The combination, with a pit, a wellcasing extendin upwardly into andcentrally of said pit, a valve-casing arranged above and centrally inrelation to said pit and connected to the well-casing and having afluid-outlet and a fluid-inlet which is in communication with thewell-casing, and a valve arranged to control communication between saidinlet and said outlet, of two weighted plates arranged at opposite sidesrespectively of the well-casing and tied together and lying on thebottom of the aforesaid pit, rods attached to said plates and extendingabove the pit, a cap-plate mounted on the aforesaid valve-casing, rigidmembers seated on said cap-plate and surrounding the aforesaid rods, andmembers borne by said rods and overlapping the tops of saidrod-surrounding members.

In testimony whereof, I sign the foregoing specification, this 10th dayof January, 1923.

ANDREW L. LOEFFLER.

